The Life and Legacy of Khudiram Bose
Khudiram Bose (1889-1908) was an Indian freedom fighter, one of the youngest revolutionaries early in the Indian independence movement.
Khudiram Bose is known as a young Indian freedom fighter. He is also known as the Bengali revolutionary. He actively participated in the freedom struggle for India. He is well known for his leadership qualities and tireless service to the Indian society. He fiercely fought against the British government and died as a martyr at a very young age. In the early twentieth century, Khudiram Bose was the first young martyr to shed his life on Indian soil.
Childhood Life
Khudiram Bose was born in West Bengal, in the village of Keshpur, in Medinipur district, on 3 December 1889, to parents Trailokyanath Bose, who was a Tahsildar and Lakshmipriya Devi, who was a religious lady. He had three elder sisters and was the fourth child in his family. He did his education at the Midnapore Collegiate School. He was one among the teenage student community of the town and was having a burning inspiration to take part in all revolutionary activities. During his school days, he asked his teacher, Hemchandra Kanungo, about his aim to become a revolver. Even as a young man, Khudiram Bose was adventurous and was known for his courage and bravery activities.
His Revolutionary Activities
Khudiram Bose actively entered the freedom struggle in 1904 when he joined the Martyrs’ Club in Medinipur. Sri Aurobindo and Sister Nivedita inspired him during a freedom speech in Medinipur. He was also inspired by the words of his teacher Satyendranath Bose.
In 1905 he joined the political party Jugantar to show his noninterest in following British rules and principles. In the same year, he was a part of the team fighting against the Partition of Bengal. Bose and his troops left bombs near police stations and made the government officials their victims. He was arrested for carrying out a serious bomb attack.
Later on 30 April 1908, Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki planned to assassinate Kingsford, the Chief Presidency Magistrate of Muzaffarpur, Bihar, near the European Club. Kingsford was known for passing cruel sentences on Calcutta’s freedom fighters and political workers. Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki waited in front of the European gate in the late evening, around 8:30 pm, for the arrival of the Kingsford carriage.
Having a pistol in hand, they threw the bomb toward the carriage, and it got blasted. Instead of Kingsford in the carriage, there were two British ladies, the wife and the daughter of Mr. Kennedy. They were burnt alive, leading to his arrest for the crime.
They both escaped from the spot and fled away. Prafulla Chaki killed himself by committing suicide, and Khudiram Bose was arrested. Due to this revolutionary bomb attack, Khudiram Bose was sentenced to death on 11 August 1908. He was at the age of 19 when he was hanged to death.
Braveheart
The cruel British government killed the young martyr, but till today he lives in all hearts of the Indians. He was cheerful and smiling when he was hanged to death. He was honored by the Bengali poet Kazi Nazrul Islam through his poems.
Khudiram Bose is a person who lived and died immortal. He considered Bharat Matha as his mother and father. All young men and women are following in his footsteps in their life. He was a small boy born patriot and shed his life with a broad smile stating that he has no fear even for death. Let’s follow him and fight against all evil in our life as brave as this young man.
📎 Related Articles
1. Wikipedia: Khudiram Bose
2. Wikipedia: Indian Independence Movement
3. Wikipedia: Partition of Bengal (1905)
4. Wikipedia: Jugantar
5. Remembering Lt. Col. Niranjan Kumar, NSG’s Valiant Hero